Determination and Loyalty
by kingalex1234
Summary: Two children fall down into the Underground, friends that will help each other no matter what. But, magic can be tricky to play with, and soon they'll learn that determination can do some strange things if you let it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

 **Important note: This story will have spoilers for all three routes, and if you haven't played Undertale, I advise that you do so before reading.**

Prologue

Long ago, two races ruled the earth: Monsters and Humans. For a while, the two lived in harmony, however, the peace would not last. Humans and Monsters were different, far more so than you might think. Monsters are magical beings, filled with a strange magic that few humans understand, and even fewer can control, while humans are physical beings, easily beating any monster in a fight. However, it is said that if a monster absorbs a human soul, then they will become more powerful than any human. It is not known what would happen if a human absorbs a monster soul, as few monster souls persist after death.

Fearing for their lives, despite their far greater strength, the humans declared war on the monsters. The war lasted for many years, and soon, the monsters were beaten. The humans sealed the monsters away, using 7 of the world's most powerful magicians to create a barrier which no monster could cross. Many years later, a child fell into the Underground. Many days later, the child was found, dead…and in the arms of a monster.

"boo!"

I yelped in surprise, dropping the book as I jumped to my feet, earning a giggle from the girl who scared me. She had medium length brown hair, brown eyes, and wore a magenta striped shirt, with blue pants and brown shoes.

"Frisk! Don't scare me like that!" I replied, brushing off the dirt that had collected on my red pants "what if I had fallen in? you know the legends about this place"

"I know, I know" she responded "'it is said that those who travel up mount Ebott never return'. And yet, here you are, on top of Mount Ebott, reading about…monsters?"

"this is the only place I can be alone" I responded, picking up the book and making sure it wasn't damaged "and it's a history book, by the way, it's about the war between humans and monsters"

"the war which everyone seems to have gotten over except you" she replied "most kids don't spend their time pouring over books about a species that is a legend to most"

"most kids don't have to deal with a girl who seems to always get herself into trouble somehow" I retorted.

"hey! I don't always get into trouble! And it's almost never my fault!" she crossed her arms

"whatever you say" I opened the book, only to have her snatch it out of my hands "hey! Give it back!" I jumped up, reaching for the book

"not until you take back what you said!" she responded, backing up so I couldn't get it. I was stronger than her, but she was smarter, and knew that I wouldn't be able to get the book if I couldn't catch her.

"what? The fact that you get yourself into trouble?" she nodded in response "well, maybe I shouldn't have said that, but you know it's true! Heck, you're about to back up into the huge hole behind you!"

"what are you talking a-ah!" her words were cut off as she slipped, the book flying through the air and landing a bit away. I quickly rushed over to grab her arm before she fell, I barely managing to catch her.

"see, this is exactly what I was talking about!" I yelled. Though she weighed less than an average 10 year old should, she was still considerably heavy, and it was hard to keep my grip.

"I get it, I get it, just pull me up before-" the rest of her sentence was lost as what little ground I was on crumbled, sending us both falling into the pit, screaming our lungs out.

Then, the world went black.

 **Hi everyone! So, a while back, I attempted to write an Undertale fan fiction, and it didn't quite go as I hoped it would…but, inspired by a story I recently found, I'm going to attempt to write it again, this time, hopefully making it better! I hope you all enjoy reading!**

 **Now, as in my previous attempt, I'd like to remind everyone reading that Undertale is a game with many secrets, and many, MANY, plot points that are worth experiencing for yourself. Though I've altered the story a bit, and will continue to do so later, there will still be a lot of spoilers for the game, and you should definitely play every or any of the three routes you plan to play before continuing.**

 **Also note that Chara and Frisk will be female, Alex, who has yet to be introduced by name due to first person writing, is male. Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 1: Fallen Down

Everything was dark…was this what it felt like to die? Just darkness?

"Alex! Wake up!"

The voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I opened my eyes. No, definitely not dead. I was laying on something soft, in what looked like a cave with light filtering through the opening in the ceiling…wow, that's a high ceiling…how am I still alive?

"Come on Alex! Wake up!" Frisks voice once again brought me back to reality. I sat up, wincing as pain shot through my body.

"o-ow…" was all I could manage.

"Finally! I thought you'd never wake up!" Frisk was standing to the side, off of the flowers, which must have been what broke our fall…but, she seemed unharmed, a small bandage the only indication she was hurt at all, meanwhile, whether I had any visual damage, my body hurt like crazy.

"Are you ok? You don't look hurt" I said, waiting for the pain to subside enough for me to get up fully.

"I'm fine" she said "I think I landed on you on accident, probably why you're in pain, though you look fine"

I looked at myself and found that it was true, there was no sign of damage, except for a few small bruises and a couple of scrapes, nothing that should cause me as much pain as I'm in. before I could reply, Frisk spoke again.

"Come on, we should find a way out of here" she said, offering me a hand to help me up. I hesitated a moment, but took it, allowing her to pull me up. Oddly enough, the pain had completely subsided now…weird…but I wasn't one to question good luck, and it seemed like nothing was broken, so, hand and hand, we walked the only way we could…which lead us to a strange arch way…and beyond that archway, was an even stranger sight.

The room was completely dark, and seemed to be empty, except for a single ray of light that shone on the middle, where a single flower stood…if I looked close enough, I could swear there was a face on it. Curiosity spiking, and not really having better thoughts of what to do, I stepped towards said flower, my hand slipping out of Frisks, who had stayed in place.

"Howdy!"

We both yelped and sprung back in surprise. While I stayed on my feet, instinctively getting into a defensive position, Frisk stumbled and fell. I glanced over to see her sitting on the floor. I'd normally laugh at her, but I'm a bit too spooked by the fact that the flower, as there are no other possible sources, just spoke.

"I'm Flowey, Flowey the flower!" …and has a name, apparently. Well, either I'm hallucinating, or this is some magic flower, a boy by the sounds of it…Frisk getting scared rules out theory one.

"Uh, hiya! My name's Alex, and the girl is Frisk" I responded. Flowey turned slightly towards Frisk a moment, then back to me. I guess that's the equivalent of a glance? He seemed confused, but only for a moment, before his grin came back.

"Hmmm…you're new to the Underground, aren't ya? Golly, you must be so confused!"

"You could say that again" I mumbled. If he heard me, he didn't acknowledge me.

"Someone ought to teach you how things work down here! Guess little old me will have to do!"

"What do you mean by-" I was cut off as he continued

"Ready? Here we go!"

Suddenly, a strange energy washed over me. It sent a bad feeling through my body.

"See that heart?" he asked. I didn't want to look "that's your…SOUL…" he trailed off, eyeing me funnily. When I looked down, I could see why. There was a heart on my chest, about where my actual heart would be, I think, but instead of being red, it was a dark blue, and in the wrong light, might have looked black.

"Ahem" his voice caused my head to snap back up. He was smiling again "as I was saying. That heart is your SOULD, the very culmination of your being"

"It's my what?" I asked.

"It's basically who you are, what makes you, well, you" he responded. There was a hint of annoyance in his voice, but I probably imagined it "Your SOUL starts out weak, but can grow strong if you gain LV"

"LV? What's that stand for?" I asked

"Why, LOVE, of course!" he responded.

"Love?" I asked

"Yes, LOVE!" he responded. Something about that didn't seem right…but I decided to trust him, after all, no use hurting his feelings, right? "You want some LOVE, don't you?"

"Well, of course!" I respond almost immediately. I heard Frisk shuffle behind me, but I was too focused to look.

"Don't worry, I'll share some! Down here, LOVE is spread through…little white…'friendliness pellets'" suddenly, a few white pellets appeared above him "are you ready? Move around, catch as many as you can!" and with that, the pellets moved towards me. My guard was down now, so I didn't even think twice about moving away…but I really wish I had.

The pellets hit me full force, sending me into a tumble as I gasped. "Alex!" I heard Frisk yell as she ran over to me. If I thought the pain of falling down was bad, wow was I mistaken. Those pellets hurt! I managed to sit up with Frisks help as Flowey started laughing.

"You idiot!" he said. His voice had turned demonic, and it gave me chills. If it weren't for the pain, I'd probably have ran out as fast as I could "in this world, it's kill or be killed! And who would pass up an opportunity like this?" suddenly, a ring of pellets surrounded both of us…now I'm REALLY wishing I had moved away. "DIE!" and the ring slowly started closing around us. I hugged Frisk tight, much to my bodies protest, and shut my eyes, ready to embrace the death that honestly should have already claimed me…but it never came. I struggled to open my eyes and saw the bullets were gone, and Flowey looked very confused. It only lasted a second though, before he was knocked aside…by a fire ball? I looked up to see the source, an anamorphic goat-like monster walking towards us. Wow, she was huge!

"What a terrible creature, torturing such poor, innocent youths" she said. "Don't be afraid, my...children. I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins"

Her voice had a hint of confusion in it, but I was too tired to pay attention. The threat of Flowey gone, and too weak to really move, I finally lost my struggling battle with consciousness…and I passed out.

 **Hi everyone! Wow, this is already turning out to be better than my previous attempt! Yay! I know blue is a soul color, integrity, in game, but I was going for something a bit different. Believe it or not, I did quite a bit of research before I chose a soul color. For more about why dark blue, feel free to ask!**

 **Now, as happened in my previous story, early on the game and the story will be almost paralleled, with a few changes here and there, but I think you'll find more differences sooner, as with new knowledge, and new inspiration, I'm going to try a different approach at the story.**

 **Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input! If you have any questions, suggestions, or whatever, and don't wanna leave them as a review, feel free to PM me! Bye for now!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 2: fight or mercy

Everything's dark again…wow, is this going to happen often? My senses slowly returned to me, and I could hear voices…they were familiar….

"…don't worry, child, he'll be alright" that voice…it was newer, but I recognized it to be Toriel

"But it's been forever!" that was definitely Frisk "can't you use your magic to wake him up or something?"

That earned a chuckle from Toriel "magic doesn't work like that, my child" she responded "besides, it's good that he rests, he'll be stronger that way"

I tuned out their voices as they moved on to another topic. I had regained feeling in my body, but strangely enough, I wasn't in pain. In fact, I think the scratches from before might be gone too…just how long was I asleep?

"Look momma! He's waking up!"

I had shifted a bit, which Frisk must have noticed…wait, did she call Toriel "momma"?

"Little one? Are you awake?" I felt a soft paw on my arm. I opened my eyes to see Toriel, kneeling down next to me. I was laying on some form of blanket, in the same room we were in before. Frisk was standing back a bit, concern clear on her face. Seeing that I was awake, Toriel smiled.

"How are you feeling, my child?" she asked gently.

"Pretty good…I think" I replied groggily "how long was I asleep?"

"Only an hour or two at most, I used healing magic to help you recover" Toriel smiled at me "I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins. I pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen down. You two are the first humans to come down here in a very long time"

I nodded, carefully sitting up "well, lucky for us, you haven't stopped checking" I smiled at her, and she returned the smile.

"Are you well enough to get up?" she asked gently

I nodded "I'll manage" I said, slowly getting up. My legs felt stiff, but I was sure they'd be fine later. Toriel smiled

"Come! I will guide you through the catacombs!" she said, leading the way out of the room.

Frisk gave me a glance over, wearing an expression of "are you really ok?", and seeing that I was fine, hurried after Toriel. I had to run to catch up, which wasn't much of a problem for me, as Toriel was waiting, and I can outrun Frisk.

We went into the next room, which had two large stairs on either side, leading up to a balcony-type platform which had a door leading in. the whole thing was rather spectacular, honestly…but Toriel was waiting, so we walked up the stairs and into the next room.

"Welcome to your new home, innocent ones" she said. New home…I kinda liked the sound of that. "Allow me to educate you in the operation of the RUINS. The RUINS are full of puzzles. Ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. One must solve them to move from room to room. Please, adjust yourself to the sight of them."

Without giving us a chance to respond, she demonstrated said puzzle by stepping on a few buttons on the floor, then pulling a switch. Frisk loved puzzles, and seemed delighted at the sight. I wasn't opposed to them, but I didn't like them nearly as much. Toriel walked into the next room, and I was about to follow, when Frisk caught my attention. She was reading a sign out loud.

"Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both not walk the middle road" she read. She looked at me a moment, then shrugged and walked into the next room. I hesitated, then shook my head and followed. The next room had a dummy in it, and Toriel was standing at the end, blocking the doorway.

"As a human living in the UNDERGROUND, monsters may attack you" she said "However, worry not! When you encounter a monster, you will enter a FIGHT. While you are in a FIGHT, strike up a friendly conversation"

I blinked "I'm sorry, how does-"

"Stall for time. I will come and resolve the conflict" she continued. I bit my tongue, holding back my doubts. Frisk seemed delighted, so I figured I'd go with it. "Practice talking to this dummy."

I know it'll feel stupid, but I might as well give it a shot. I took a deep breath and walked up to the dummy, almost immediately I felt the strange energy wash over me, and my dark blue soul popped out.

"Uh, hiya, Dummy…" I said awkwardly. I didn't expect a response, but what I expected even less was Frisk to say what she said.

"You talked to the DUMMY" she said "it doesn't seem much for conversation. Toriel seems happy with you. You won! You earned 0 XP and 0 gold"

I looked at Frisk as the energy went away and my soul returned. She just blinked at me "…is something wrong?" she asked.

Before I could respond, Toriel smiled and said "Ah, very good, you are very good" she turned to Frisk "it's your turn, little one"

Frisk looked like she had expected something else, but shrugged and walked up to the dummy. Judging by the fact that her soul appeared, I'd say she was doing the same thing I was. But I noticed her soul was red, while mine was dark blue…but why? The only word that came to mind was Determination…well, she sure as heck was a determined girl…

My thoughts were interrupted by Toriel clapping "very good, child!" she said. She was beaming…whatever Frisk did, she did a better job than I did. "This way, the next room awaits!" she said as she walked off.

We followed her into the next room. I figured I would question Frisk later, as Toriel would be waiting. She was standing a bit in front of the entrance. "There is another puzzle in this room" she said "I wonder if you can solve it"

I looked at Frisk, who looked really excited. Toriel walked off, and we followed her into a small hallway dividing two sections of the room. Frisk suddenly stopped.

"Froggit attacks you!" she said.

Before I had time to question her, the familiar energy of a fight washed over me as I was tackled by a frog creature. I yelped in surprise as I was thrown back.

I shook my head and got up "ow…for a frog, you're rather strong"

"The Froggit didn't understand what you said, but was flattered anyways"

Oh…I guess I complemented it? I braced myself for another tackle, or any attack really, but Toriel must have noticed because she walked over, glaring at the Froggit, who in turned looked at her, then hopped away bashfully.

"You won! You earned 0 gold and 0 XP."

Ok, that was starting to worry me now. How'd she know any of this? And more importantly, why is she acting like a narrator for the battle? Whatever the reason, I'd find out later, as Toriel was quickly moving ahead. Thankfully I wasn't really hurt.

Toriel guided us through the puzzle, which was a bunch of spikes, then let us finally try one on our own, though a bunch of levers with clear labels isn't exactly hard…then we got to a large hallway. Toriel stopped and turned to us.

"You have done very well so far, my children" she said "however…I have a difficult request to ask of you"

My blood ran cold, and I tensed. However, I relaxed as Frisk grabbed my hand. No matter what it was, she'd help me. "What request?" I asked

"I would like you to walk to the end of the room by…yourselves" she hesitated, I noticed it. She looked at us a moment "…you two wouldn't leave each other's sides, would you?"

The question took me by surprise, but this time Frisk had tensed up. I looked at Frisk and found her expression wasn't one I recognized…strange… I turned back to Toriel "I think it's safe to say we're staying close to each other" I responded.

She looked me over a moment, then nodded "if you were alone, I would ask you to walk this room by yourself" she said "however, you are not alone, you have each other…the reason I would ask this is to test your independence. I must attend to some business, and you must stay…without me, for a while. Please remain here, it's dangerous to explore by yourselves"

I looked at Frisk, who had finally snapped out of whatever had happened, and we both nodded, to which Toriel smiled. "I know, I'll give you a CELL PHONE!" she took out a cellphone, then paused "erm…I only have the one…"

"I'll take it" I said, offering my hand "after all, we won't be apart, so we won't need another"

Toriel looked at me a moment, then handed me the phone "right, you are right" she said "if you have a need for anything, either of you, just call. Be good, alright?"

"Yes mama!" Frisk piped up.

"We'll be good…mom" I responded. I had been hesitant to call her mom, but since we'll be living here anyways, couldn't hurt to try. Based on the smile Toriel gave me, I made the right choice.

She walked off, and we followed her to the end of the hall, where she turned and gave us one last smile before walking off.

 **Woohoo! Another chapter done! I feel better and better about this story the more I write! Honestly, this was supposed to be done days ago, but distractions followed by writers block prevented it from happening. On that note, you may have noticed how I compensated for certain battle mechanics. This will mostly show up early on, and if it bothers anyone, I'm sorry for that, but in a way, it ties into some elements I'll introduce later.**

 **Now, as you may or may not know, there are a lot of theories (and other data) surrounding Undertale. Some I will put into my story, especially if they're more commonly known theories, others I may leave out. If there's a theory that you'd like to see put into practice, let me know!**

 **Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 3: a shy ghost

Neither one of us could really do much alone. Frisk kept insisting we leave, but Toriel had told us to stay put, and I stayed firm on my position. Not wanting to leave me behind, Frisk finally settled for taking a nap instead, leaving me to entertain myself while she slept…which lasted about half an hour before she woke up and finally convinced me to "take a little risk," easy enough for the girl who almost gets herself killed on a weekly basis.

But we set off, and as if on cue, the moment we walked out of that room the phone rang. I picked it up.

"Hi!" not the best way to answer the phone, but honestly, who else is going to call?

"Hello? This is Toriel. You have not left the room, have you?" she gave me no time to respond "there are a few puzzles ahead that I have yet to explain. It would be dangerous to try to solve them without proper guidance. Be good, alright?" and with that she hung up. Well, that was certainly something.

Frisk must have overheard the call "well, time to prove her wrong!" She said. I just sighed and followed her.

After taking some candy from the nearby room, we continued onward, though it wasn't long before my phone rang again "Hello!"

"Hi, this is Toriel" as if anyone else had this number "For no reason in particular, do you prefer butterscotch or cinnamon?"

"Butterscotch!"

"Cinnamon!"

We both looked at each other. We had answered at the same time, and Toriel didn't seem to have heard either answer "I'm sorry, I couldn't make out what you said, my child" she said "could you repeat your answer?"

This time, I quickly put a hand over Frisks mouth "butt-hey!" I quickly pulled my hand away as she licked it.

"My child? Is everything alright?" Toriel asked. She sounded worried.

I gave Frisk a glare, and she returned it by sticking her tongue out at me. "Yea, everything's ok" I responded, wiping my hand on my shorts. I'd get her back later "I like butterscotch more, but Frisk prefers cinnamon"

"I see…you do not DISLIKE cinnamon, do you? Or her butterscotch?" she asked

I looked at Frisk, and she shrugged "no, we don't dislike either one" I responded.

"Right, right, I understand. Thank you both for being patient, by the way" she responded. Before I could say anything, she hung up.

"Sounds like she's making something yummy!" I said. And with that, we continued onward.

After a few rooms of puzzles, we got to a room with cheese…which neither of us wanted to touch. After that room, we got to a room that, instead of a puzzle, had a ghost in it…who was blocking the path out.

I walked over, with Frisk staying a bit behind "um, excuse me-"

"Zzzzzzzzz….zzzzzzzzzzz"

I looked at him a moment…was he pretending to sleep?

"Umm, I'm sorry, but we need to get through…"

"Zzzzzzzz…zzzzzzzzzz"

Ok, obviously that wasn't working. I sighed, stepping back "well, he's not going to move" I said, looking at Frisk

"Well, we can force him to move" she suggested. This coming from the girl who never wants to fight?

"Do we have to?" I asked "I mean, maybe we can just call his bluff"

"You really think that'll work?" she asked

I hesitated, then sighed "no…" I sat down and sighed "I just…I don't want to fight him, and I know that's what'll happen if I try to push him"

Frisk looked at me a moment, then looked up. She backed away a few steps, seeming really confused, I found out why when I got up and turned around. The ghost had sat up, and was looking at us…or, more particularly, me. I walked over.

"Uh…hi" I said

"H-hey…" he looked really nervous…I felt bad for him "a-am I in your way?"

"A little bit, but its ok, you probably didn't expect anyone to walk by here anyways" I gave him a small smile. He seemed to react well to that.

"Yea…I usually come to the RUINS because there's no one around…" he responded.

"Well, it makes sense" I replied "it does feel rather ghostly"

Frisk immediately burst out laughing. Frisk loved puns almost as much as she loved puzzles. She's not the best at making them, but she'll laugh at even the worst puns. Honestly, I don't blame her.

Thankfully, Napstablook seemed to enjoy the pun too "can I show you something?" he asked. I nodded "ok…let me try…" to my surprise, he started crying! Except…they went upwards? They collected on his head, making a hat of sorts "I call it 'Dapper Blook," do you like it?"

To be honest, it made him look rather cool "yea! It looks amazing!" I responded.

"Oh jee…" he smiled at me "usually I come here to be alone…but today I met someone nice"

"I feel the same way…uh, what's your name?"

"Oh, I'm Napstablook" he said.

"I'm Alex, and the girl behind me is Frisk" I pointed to Frisk, who was still giggling from my pun "it was nice to meet you, but we have to go. Hey, maybe we can visit you!"

"well, I live in Waterfall…but if you're ever there, you're welcome to stop by" he looked at me, then at Frisk, then back at me "I'll get out of your way now…bye"

"Bye bye!" and with that, he disappeared. I turned to Frisk "see? Wasn't that better than forcing him to move?"

"Yea…I'm sorry I doubted you" she smiled at me, still trying to stop from giggling "come on…let's see if we can find mama"

I nodded, taking her hand, and leading the way onward. After buying a spider donut from the spider bake sale in a nearby room, we continued, working through a couple more puzzles before we finally got to the tree…well, it wasn't quite as easy as it sounds.

"Alex, stop hiding it, you're hurt and we both know it" Frisk said. We had run into a few monsters, and they had decided to group up to try and fight me. Unfortunately, I couldn't dodge their combined attacks as easily as I would have liked.

"I'm fine Frisk…I'm just really tired…can we rest here?" I responded. I figured sleeping might help, after all, Frisk looked more than refreshed after her nap.

"…fine, I doubt any monsters will attack us here anyways" she said. I walked over to the tree, which had a pile of leaves around its base, and curled up on the leaves. I was out within minutes.

 **Yay! Another chapter done! I hope those of you who are reading like how the story is going so far! I decided to put my first decent change in this chapter, partially because I wasn't quite sure how to describe the fight, and partially because I never really believed in the need to force Napstablook to move. Besides, if you hadn't noticed, I kinda went through the same actions anyways. Yes, that was on purpose.**

 **Anyways. I've noticed the amount of views I've gotten have picked up, and let me tell you, it makes me REALLY happy to see more people looking at my story! That said, I would like some feedback, especially since I've started changing the story a bit.**

 **Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 4: unknowns

"Wake up, child"

My eyes shoot open and I look around. I immediately shoot to my feet as I notice I'm not where I should be. I'm in a grey room, no doors, no windows, just a grey box…I must be dreaming. However, I'm not alone here. There's a figure a little bit in front of me, close enough to talk, but far enough both to not scare me and so I couldn't reach him.

"Ah, you're awake...sort of" he said. His voice seemed unnatural…but not unnerving.

"…sort of?" I asked. Not the best first words, I'll admit.

"Yes. You are still technically unconscious, after all" he replied. He used a lot of big words, but I knew what he was saying. I was asleep, but here I wasn't.

"Where am I..?" I asked "and who are you?"

He thought seemed to think for a moment before he answered "my name is W.D. Gaster, information beyond that would be useless to you now" I didn't like the way he said that, but I stopped myself from retorting. Something told me starting a fight with him wasn't something I wanted to do.

"Well, my name is Alex" I said.

"Yes, I'm aware" he replied. Before I could question it, he continued "I've been watching you, you're a very interesting child"

"Uh…thanks?" I couldn't tell if it was a complement or not "wait…you've been watching me?"

"Correct. Since your and Frisks fall" he responded "I've been hoping we might meet"

I just looked at him a moment, then I remembered he never answered my first question "you never told me where we are"

"Hmm…" he seemed to think for a moment again "we are in a space that exists outside your world"

"So…another dimension?"

"In a way"

I thought a moment, then I remembered something Frisk once told me, something about rifts in space… "A pocket dimension?" I looked up at him.

"You're smarter than I thought" again, wasn't sure that was a complement "yes, we are in a pocket dimension"

"But how? From what Frisk told me, traveling to a pocket dimension would require a lot of energy, more than I could ever get, so how are you or me here?"

"That is a very good question" he said "why I'm here is something that I believe you should figure out on your own. Telling even the most intelligent minds too much can be dangerous."

I wanted to protest, but he continued, causing me to bite back my response "however, as to why you're here…" he looked at me with a look I couldn't recognize. "…the short answer: I can't tell you"

"Wait…do you not know?" I found the thought kind of funny, this man who seems to have more answers than anyone I've met, can't tell me how I got to a place I should never be able to get to.

"I have theories" he responded "but even the simplest ones are too complex for you without more information"

"Well, I've got time" I said.

"But the information is not something that you should have"

That caused me to freeze. My first thought was he was going to make me find out more things for myself, but the second thought was how he said it… "…you mean that I shouldn't have now…right?" I asked.

"That you shouldn't have ever"

That scared me. any time I asked someone about something they thought I shouldn't know, they'd respond with "You're not ready" or "you'll find out when you're older" but I've never been told there are things I shouldn't know.

"…why?" I asked

"…many humans say knowledge is power" he said "however, knowledge can also be a burden, and when given to the wrong person, can be dangerous, to them and to others" something about the way he said that…

"you think if you tell me this I could hurt someone?" I asked

"yes and no" he replied back "some of the information you are too young to understand, even some adults may have trouble with it. However, some of it are also things that, with a mind like yours, could lead to your own destruction"

I thought a moment, both trying to process what he said and figure out why he said it "so…you won't tell me to protect me?"

"correct" before I could say anything else, he continued "perhaps another time I may explain further, but for now, our time is up. Until we meet again, child"

Before I could question it, the room was gone, and my eyes shot open. I was in a red room that I didn't recognize. Before I could process much else, a smell caught my attention. I turned on the lamp to find a slice of pie sitting on a plate, which was on the floor. Next to it was a note. I got up and read the note.

"My child, I am sorry for not waking you before moving you, but I wanted to let you rest. I made some butterscotch pie, and left a piece for you to eat when you wake up. You must be very hungry. I will be in the living room when you wake up. –Toriel"

Now that I think about it, I was quite hungry. So, I sat down and ate the pie happily. Wow…I didn't know pie could taste so yummy! When I was done eating, which took very little time, I wandered out into the rest of the house. Frisk was nowhere to be seen, but Toriel was in the living room, as she said, reading a book.

"Hello, my child" she said "did you have a nice rest?"

I nodded. Though I was awake throughout what I could only call a dream, I felt refreshed and ready to take on the world "I slept very well, mom"

"That is good to hear!" she smiled "your sister went out to explore, she said she wanted to be alone for a bit. She said she wouldn't go far"

I nodded, then I realized she called Frisk my sister…I suppose it made sense, we did share Toriel as our mother. Then, with the mix of what Gaster had told me put aside until I could think about it more, a new thought came to my head.

"Mom…would it be possible for me to learn magic?"

Toriel looked at me a moment "…my child, humans are not magical beings" she replied "I do not think I alone could teach you true magic"

"Oh…" I looked at my feet. Darn, I had really hoped to be able to shoot fire like she can.

"…however…" I perked my head up "not all humans are without magic...Perhaps with the help of some books, I may be able to teach you some basic magic"

My eyes lit up and I hugged her "thank you thank you thank you!" I was overjoyed, I might be able to learn magic! That'd be awesome!

"You are welcome, little one" she responded, smiling as she hugged me back "we shall start tomorrow"

I smiled, nodding. I didn't care if it was tomorrow or a week from now, I could learn magic! It was a dream come true! And from the sounds of it, this would be my home for a while…I could get used to having Toriel as a mother. I hope it'll stay like this forever!

 **Wow…I'm rather impressed with myself. This chapter kind of wrote itself, I just had to start it and suddenly ta-da, it's done! As you know, this really doesn't happen often, so please don't expect it to! You can see the changes growing, can't you? They'll likely continue to grow, but do remember, this is just the ruins. I'd very much like to know how I'm doing, as the more changes I make, the more fearful I am that I may mess up, with the majority of possible mistakes being in character, or speech pattern, or some kind of behavior. I could go on, but I won't bother you with all my anxieties regarding this story.**

 **Anyways, in the last couple of hours I've been writing, a thought occurred to me of something I might be interested in trying: OCs. As you know, Undertale is a vast world, and monsters come in all shapes and sizes. And, Frisk and my own OC being the way they are, even an "enemy" monster could become a friend. So, if you have an OC you'd like to see in my story, I'm more than happy to hear about them! I will say, however, that OCs are more likely to stick around once the story progresses past the ruins, but if you wanted, say, a Froggit that follows the two out of the Ruins, be my guest to suggest it, and I'll see what I decide!**

 **Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 5: Heartache

I don't know why humans were so afraid of monsters. It was a mere days after and the monsters had completely stopped attacking us. In fact, a few of them got the courage to talk to us, and they were actually really nice!

Once the monsters stopped attacking, Frisk decided to explore on her own, I however was content with staying near Toriel. After all, I was training almost non-stop anyways. She seemed to like teaching me.

The house, fittingly named Home, was cozy. There was the kitchen, the living room, the entrance, which had stairs leading down, a hallway, a bathroom, and 3 bedrooms: mine/Frisks, Toriels, and one that was kept locked. When I asked her about it, she said "it was used long ago…now it is not" and changed the subject. I decided not to press it further.

The one place we weren't allowed to go was the basement. I had a small draw to the place, but easily fought of the desire, as it looked dark and dangerous anyways. Frisk, however, seemed determined to explore every inch of the area, and Toriel had to stop her constantly.

A week or two later, and I was alone, practicing what little magic I knew. Toriel hadn't taught me much, but I managed to learn how to tell when someone could be spared, and a small trick to confuse a monster who was giving me trouble. I practiced on the dummy at first, but that only got me so far, so some of the monsters offered to help me practice, so long as I didn't attack any of them.

It was through them I learned about monster and human physiology. Monsters are magical beings, with their souls supporting their body. When they die, their soul and body disintegrates, and they turn to dust. They also get hurt based on the attackers intent, and the defenders willingness to fight back…which means if monsters wanted to play-fight, then it's likely neither would get hurt. Huh.

Meanwhile, humans were physical beings, with their body housing their soul, but being independent. This meant that when a human died, their soul was still there, at least for a little while. This is why a monster could absorb a human soul. It's also why most humans couldn't preform magic acts like monsters. However, humans had a magic of their own: determination. It's why the soul persists after death.

They didn't tell me any more than that, however. After practicing, I went back home…and found no one there.

"Hello..?" I called. No response. Suddenly, there was a thud. It wasn't strong, but I felt it shake the floor ever so slightly. From the sounds of it, it came from the basement. I knew Toriel didn't want me down there, but I had to know what was happening. I ran down the stairs, and without even a second thought, tore down the hallway. At the end was a door with the Delta Rune symbol she had taught us about. And standing in front of that door were Toriel and Frisk…locked in a fight.

"Mom? Frisk?" my voice stopped them in their tracks and they both turned to me. Frisk looked exhausted, her soul out, her clothing scorched, and a look of determination that I had never seen. Meanwhile, Toriel didn't look harmed in the slightest. When she was fighting, her look had been cold. Now, it was full of surprise.

"My child…I thought you were training" she said

"I was" I responded "I came back and no one was home…then I heard a thud, and I wanted to see what it was…" I trailed off as Toriel looked at me. Frisks soul returned to her.

"Young one…" she was hesitant "…your sister asked to leave the RUINS"

My blood ran cold. Frisk had told me she wanted to leave the ruins, but I thought I had convinced her to stay…I guess I was wrong.

"…Frisk, I thought we talked about this" I said.

"Alex, you know we can't stay here…" she said. It was the same argument as before, and I knew where it was going.

"…Frisk, go upstairs, or I will make you" She knew I meant what I said, I had carried her home on several occasions, both underground and on the surface. She quickly nodded and ran upstairs. I looked at Toriel "mom…may I ask why we can't leave?"

She looks at me, then looks at the door. "…this is the end of the RUINS. A one-way exit to the rest of the underground. I am going to destroy it. No one will ever be able to leave again. Now be a good child and go upstairs."

She was scared…I was too now. I wanted to go upstairs, let her destroy the exit, let this be our home forever…but Frisk would never forgive me if I did that.

"…you didn't answer my question"

She turned to me. She seemed to look right through me. "Every human that falls down here meets the same fate. I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave. They die. You naïve child…If you leave the RUINS…they…ASGORE…Will kill you. I am only protecting you, do you understand? …Go to your room"

She made a valid point. The other monsters had mentioned Asgore, though she had not. They said he was the king of monsters, and wanted a human soul to free all of monster kind…little said, I was keeping myself and Frisk as far away from him as possible.

"Mom, I don't want to leave the RUINS" I said "I don't want to go anywhere but here, with you…I've never been happier here…" I took a deep breath, trying my best to hold back tears.

"…then why do you refuse to go upstairs?"

"…because destroying the exit is not the answer" I said, looking up "I will never leave, and once I talk to Frisk, I know she won't want to either. But please, don't destroy the exit"

She looked at me a moment "you want to leave so badly?" no, I don't. But I didn't have time to say those words "Hmph. You are just like the others. There is only one solution to this" oh no…this is what happened with Frisk, isn't it? "Prove yourself…prove to me you are strong enough to survive."

And just like that, my dark blue soul was out. She had started a fight. I could practically hear Frisks voice going through my head.

"Toriel blocks the way"

Yea, no duh. Though it's not like I was trying to get through anyways.

"Mom, please don't fight me…"

My plea fell on deaf ears. She attacked with fire, and if I hadn't gotten out of the way, I would have been seriously hurt. Was she really doing this?

"Mom, you're going to hurt me!"

She didn't listen, opting to throw more fire instead. This time, I got hit. Wow that burns!

I gasped in pain, holding my arm where she hit me "see what I mean? Please stop fighting me!"

No use. More fire, this time it was a direct hit, sending me tumbling into the wall. Ow that hurt.

"Mom…please…"

Again, more fire. Oddly enough, she stopped halfway through her attack…which is good, because I don't think I could have taken much more.

"…I-I don't feel well…" were she someone else, I wouldn't have said that, but I was hoping I could get to her…it didn't work. She threw more fire, but this time it completely avoided me. Good, I couldn't move very well anyways.

"What are you doing? Attack or run away!"

"No, I don't want to" my strength was returning, adrenaline pumping, making the pain numb.

"What are you proving this way? Fight me or leave!"

"I don't want to fight you!"

She looks at me. I'm getting to her, slowly…a bit too slowly

"Stop it. Stop looking at me that way. Go away!"

"Toriel!" that got her to stop. I hadn't once used her name since the day we fell, and she was visibly shaken "I don't want to leave you!"

"Then why do you insist on stopping me?"

"Because Frisk would never forgive me if I didn't" she looked at me. I took a deep breath "I like it here. If it were up to me, I'd never leave…if it were up to her, we'd already be gone" she looked hurt by that "The ruins are small. I like small, it makes me feel safe. But her…she's an explorer. She wants to travel the surface when she's older…but I can make her stay. She'd never leave me behind. If I make it clear that I won't leave, then neither will she"

Toriel looked at me a moment, mixed emotions on her face "…my child…" suddenly, there was a knock. I looked at the door. It wasn't loud enough to come from there, but somewhere behind it… "…go upstairs please"

"Mom…"

"I will not destroy the exit" Well, that worked better than I expected. She turned to me. "You have stalled me long enough, my child…thank you. Now please, go upstairs, I will join you shortly. You will be free to come down here and check that I kept my word."

I hesitated, then nodded, and went upstairs. After all that, I think a nap would be a welcomed experience.

 **Wow…I, uh…wow…I think this may be a record, 3 chapters in one day! Well, I suppose there isn't much day left where I am, heh…but hey, good news for whoever's reading this, right? I also sort of kept writing and writing so...this is also one of my longest chapters ever! 1,500+ words on the story alone!**

 **Anyways, there's not a lot else to say, more changes, new story, so on and so on, but honestly I've said all I needed to between the last two chapters, and haven't given nearly enough time for anyone to really see them, much less actually respond.**

 **Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 6: a new friend

Toriel kept her word, as I knew she would. After my nap, I walked back down the tunnel and found the door still standing. Without Toriel or Frisk down here, I had a moment to really appreciate how beautiful the door was…I'm really happy I convinced her not to destroy it. I told Frisk what had happened, and though she seemed surprised, she just nodded. She agreed not to leave without me as long as I didn't leave without her…as if I wanted to leave at all.

Toriel had taken note of my friendliness with the other monsters. In fact, the way she found out was she saw me and a bunch of Froggits playing leap frog. At first she thought they were attacking me, but then she noticed my soul wasn't out, which meant I wasn't in a fight. She decided that she no longer needed to be my only teacher, and now some of the other monsters have taken to teaching me…or trying, anyways.

As Toriel said, humans don't have a lot of magic in them, and my frustration and accidental lashing out seems to do more damage than what little magic I can use. Whenever I get frustrated, I end up going back to the basement. I don't know why, but the place calms me down…then again, when you're in front of a door so beautifully designed, it's hard not to be at peace.

Toriel knew I didn't want to leave, I had made sure she understood that, and though leaving wasn't what I wanted, curiosity started getting the better of me…more importantly, what was behind this door. The knocking had come from somewhere, and I as thick as the door may be, it had sounded like it came from far away…one day, I couldn't resist.

Just a small look. It couldn't hurt, right? I used all my strength to push open the doors, only to find another hallway. I walked down the hallway, the door staying open behind me, and walked through an archway that looked exactly like the archway at the entrance of the RUINS…and the room in front of it was the same as well, Flowey and everything.

I was immediately on guard, but with the magic I knew, I was confident I could run if I needed to…turns out, I didn't need to.

"I bet you feel really great. You didn't kill anyone this time" the way he said it sent shivers along my body. "But what if you meet a relentless killer?"

"Then mom will protect me, if I can't protect myself"

That made him pause. Honestly, I just wanted to stop him. I wasn't in the mood for threats, and what he was saying sounded like just that-a threat. He looked at me a moment, tilting his head, which would look adorable were he not a crazy killer flower. Then his confused frown turned into a big grin.

"hee hee…you think that old hag will be around forever?" I tensed, and he obviously noticed, because his grin widened "you think you and your little friend can just stay here, don't you? But you know she wants to leave, and you'll give in eventually, you know it"

"…I'm happy here" I tried to keep a confident tone, but my voice wavered, and he took notice.

"Oh, but she isn't. You said it yourself, she's an explorer. And going down that path, you know what'll happen. She'll get in to trouble, trouble you won't be able to save her from" that got to me.

"...shut up…" my fists had clenched. He was pushing all the buttons he wanted to, and he knew it.

"And out in this world, she'll get more than a few cuts" he grinned "she'll die, and you'll be powerless to stop it!"

"I said shut up!" and without thinking, I lunged at him. Only to hit solid ground. I could hear his demonic laugh echo around the room, but he was gone…and he was right. Unable to stop myself, I started crying, something I almost never do. Flowey got the response he wanted.

I don't know how long it was, but a loud knock brought me back to reality. I looked up, eyes still full of tears, and saw a door in front of me. Was that where the knock had come from? I had my answer when the knock came a second time. I stood up, cautiously walking over to the door.

"H-hello?" my voice was shaky, and I was barely holding back more tears. Instead of an answer, I got another knock "…w-who's there?"

"Boo" it was a boy's voice for sure, but I couldn't recognize it. I suppose that made sense, whatever was beyond that door, I had never seen it.

"…boo who?"

"Please don't cry"

Despite being sad, I couldn't help giggling a bit. I know I had heard it many times before, but it was one of the better ones that I've heard. Whoever he was, he knocked again.

"Who's there?"

"Iva"

"Iva who?"

"Iva feeling you've had a bad day"

I giggled again, wiping the tears from my eyes "yea…but it's hard to be sad with jokes like those" I smiled, Frisk would be rolling on the floor by now "have you knocked here before?"

"Yea, I come here often, actually" he replied "though, this is the first time I've heard crying. Usually it's the old lady behind this door"

"Well, I'm not old or a lady, so today we both get to meet someone new!"

"Ah, you must be one of the kids she's told me about" he said "the boy who's trying to learn magic, right?"

"Yep! And she says I'm doing really well! …though, being human doesn't help…" I looked at my feet, my frustration at today's attempt returning to me.

He didn't leave me alone too long though, as a knock interrupted my thoughts. Sensing a pattern, I looked up "who's there?"

"Snow"

"Snow who?"

"Snow use, I forgot my name again"

I burst out laughing at that one. "Oh my god…you didn't actually though, did you?"

"Nah. My name's Sans"

"I'm Alex, it's nice to sort of meet you!" I smiled, though I knew he couldn't see it "thank you for cheering me up, but I should really get going before mom starts to worry. Bye!"

"See ya kid"

And with that, I hurried back down the hall. I only got to the door before Toriel rounded the corner. Whatever reason she had for coming down here, she completely forgot it as she realized the door was open. I expected to get yelled at and probably grounded for life, but instead she just hugged me and sent me up to my room, saying she'd talk to me later.

…and talk to me she did. I was terrified, both at what she might say to me, and at the fact that I might have just accidentally convinced her to destroy that door…and yet, she didn't.

"My child…"

"I'm so sorry mom! I know you didn't want me to go past the door, but…" she silenced me by pulling me into a hug.

"Hush child, its ok" her voice was calm, soothing "I know I told you to stay, but I've thought about it…keeping you in the RUINS isn't right. So, you and Frisk can leave" wait, did she say what I thought she said? I looked up at her, and she smiled back "you may call any time you want. And, if you ever want to return, give me a call and I'll gladly open the door for you"

I smiled brightly and hugged her "thank you mom…I promise, we'll both call you every day!"

She just smiled at me "get some rest, young one. You can leave tomorrow"

"Ok mom!" I was practically bursting with excitement as she left the room. First thing I'd do tomorrow is say goodbye to the other monsters. Second thing I'd do is go and meet Sans in person.

 **Yay! Another chapter done! It's funny, but recently, the story seems to be writing itself, I just have to start and suddenly boom, I have a chapter. Which is good for both of us, because the more I write, the more I love this story, and the more you all get to read it!**

 **Which reminds me, I'd really like to know what you guys think! I can tell so far I'm doing a good job, but I'd like to know things people really like, or what things I might have messed up on, grammar or otherwise.**

 **Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 7: Snow

"Stop shivering so much!"

Not 5 steps out of the ruins, and I felt like I'd turn into a Popsicle. Frisk, the smart girl she is, decided to wear a sweater and long pants…I decided not to. Little said, she was warm, I was not, and I was really unhappy with the outcome.

"It's not like I want to!" it was a miracle my voice wasn't shaking.

I remember my parents telling me something about hypothermia, and that if a person got too cold, they'd die from it…which meant…I was going to be hit with a snowball?

"Hey! I'm cold enough as it is!" Frisk had thrown a snowball at me, and was giggling.

"Oh come on! What's snow without a snowball-hey!" her response was cut off as I retaliated "that's not fair! I wasn't ready!"

This time it was my turn to giggle "you started it!"

"And I'm gonna end it too!"

And with that, our snowball fight was in action. The cold was soon forgotten as I went we went back and forth. Without a proper defense, and not knowing what kind of monster could be out here, we ended up pushing each other down the path. Finally, I had Frisk pinned against a tree, we had gotten down the path, and behind me there was a bridge with two poles that seemed to make a sort of gate. Oh course, I wasn't really paying attention to that, as I held a snowball threateningly.

"Surrender?" I said playfully.

She giggled "nope!" and without warning, she tackled me. We tumbled in the snow in a sort of wrestle, both of us giggling. We were so busy playing that we didn't notice a branch that we had stepped over snap, or hear the footsteps of a monster approaching.

I pinned Frisk. "There, now accept my mercy or get a face full of snow!"

She looked like she was about to say something, then she froze "…uh…Alex…" she had gotten quiet, but I was so focused I thought nothing of it.

"I know that trick Frisk, it's not gonna work" I responded.

"Human" my blood ran cold. I'm sure she would have had a look of 'I told you so' had she not been terrified of whatever was behind me. I didn't want to look "Don't you know how to greet a new pal? Turn around and shake my hand"

I didn't want to, but if I didn't, who knows what would happen. I spun around and reached out my hand…what I didn't expect was the whoopee cushion my hand came in contact with. My jaw dropped as I found myself face-to-skull with a skeleton, about my height. Frisks laughter from behind me was the only reason I accepted this as real.

"Hehehe. The old whoopee cushion in the hand trick. It's ALWAYS funny" he put his hand down and looked at me "so, you're a human, right? That's hilarious"

Now I recognized the voice! "You're Sans, aren't you?" I asked

"Yep! I'm Sans, Sans the skeleton" he said "ya know, I didn't think a crybaby like you would be so awesome at wrestling"

I had forgotten about that. Frisk burst out laughing again. If only she knew why I had been crying…

"You must be the other kid" Sans said, turning to Frisk and holding his hand. She took it, and he helped her up.

"That's me! I'm Frisk, the human" she smiled

"you know…I'm actually supposed to be on the watch for humans right now…but…y'know…I don't really feel like capturing anyone…or anytwo" we both giggled a bit at his joke "Now my brother, Papyrus, he's a human-hunting FANATIC" he glanced over the bridge "Actually, I think that's him coming now. Don't worry, I got an idea, just go through this gate thingy"

"That's a bit big to be a gate" I commented

"yea, he made the bars too big to stop a human" before I knew what was happening, he was pulling us over to a large area with a wooden sentry station and a lamp that looked like it could hide one of us, but not both of us. He glanced at the lamp a moment "uh, quick, hide behind my sentry station!"

We both hurried to behind the station. I immediately slipped on a ketchup bottle, causing me to hit the snow face first. Frisk managed to keep her balance, and sat down next to me. I could hear voices, one which seemed much louder than Sans, but I was tuning them out, my focus instead resting on not going crazy from the snow that managed to get inside my clothing. Why did it HAVE to be so cold?

Eventually, Frisk pulled me to my feet and we walked out. Papyrus, whoever he was, was gone by now, but Sans didn't seem to have moved. I noticed he was eyeing me. Why, I wasn't quite sure.

"Hey, kid, you ok?" at his question, Frisk turned to me but before she could also show her concern, I quickly answered.

"y-yea, I'm f-fine" my shaky voice showed I was obviously lying, but I needed to be strong. Though Sans seemed friendly, the look he was giving me wasn't one I was comfortable with.

"Alright kid, whatever you say" he said "actually, hey…hate to bother ya, but could you do me a favor?"

I tried to respond quickly, but my voice didn't seem to want to cooperate, so Frisk spoke up instead "sure! What is it?" guess no one told her not to agree to something before you know what it is…

"I was thinking…my brothers been kinda down lately…he's never seen a human before, and seeing you just might make his day" he must have seen my look, because he quickly continued "Don't worry, he's not dangerous. Even if he tries to be."

Again, I wanted to protest. Again, Frisk was quicker than my unresponsive voice. "Sounds like a plan!" she smiled brightly.

Sans gave me a questioning glance, he obviously knew something was up. "Thanks a million. I'll be up ahead" and with that, he walked in the opposite direction. Well, its official, this cold is making me crazy, because I could have sworn he just vanished.

Frisk half pulled me into the next room. Apparently, my whole body was trying to fight against me. I saw her glance at something just outside my field of vision, but then she glanced back at me, shook her head, and pulled me ahead. Whatever it was, she must have thought I was more important…hope I really was. She pulled us into another area, and I got to see Papyrus…who was a very tall Skeleton.

"SO, AS I WAS SAYING ABOUT UNDYNE…" why was his voice so loud? He stopped. Looked at us, looked at Sans, back, forth…they eventually started spinning from how fast they were repeatedly turning…which I did not take well. I started swaying. They had their backs to me, so they couldn't see, and Frisk was too busy giggling to pay attention to me.

"SANS! OH MY GOD! ARE THOSE HUMANS?" they both turn. Frisk doesn't move, and though I want to wave, my arm has decided body heat is more important…though, strangely, I'm no longer cold.

"Uhhhh…actually, it's a rock, and there's only one" they must have looked at something behind me, because Frisk glanced back as well. Except unlike the skeletons, Frisk locked her eyes onto me when she looked back. I couldn't see her face clearly enough to tell why.

"OH" if I weren't currently fighting to stay standing, I might have enjoyed this.

"Hey, what's that in front of the rock?" it was hard for me to tell, but I thought Sans's voice might have had concern in it…again, it was hard to tell.

"OH MY GOD! …ARE THOSE HUMANS?"

"…yes…" yep, that was definitely concern…oh, the snows actually kinda pretty…

"OH MY GOD! SANS! I FINALLY DID IT! UNDYNE WILL…WAIT, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT ONE?"

All three sets of eyes were on me now…oh boy "uh…kid?"

"Heh…p-pretty snow…" and that is where the cold won, and I fell face-first into the snow.

 **Yay! Another chapter done! So, I had actually thought about this chapter a few times, and I realized, a little kid isn't going to survive very long unprotected in the snow. Sure, he and Frisk could both be protected, but you'll find out why the difference later (yes, I have it thought out). Also, it would appear I messed up the numbering of my chapters...oops! I've fixed it now though!** **Remember: I love input, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 8: warmth

The hall really was beautiful…I had always thought so. I didn't care what she thought, I could appreciate its beauty, and that was enough to make it beautiful…not like I was doing this for her anyways. I always dreaded what happened next. I think he's started to pick up on that dread, but he knows what I'll do…and, of course, I'll still fight him.

Again…and again…and again…I don't care how many times I die, I will win, I refuse to stop…heh, I can hear her laughter. It might actually be pleasant if it weren't so demonic.

"Kid, you know what's going to happen" ah, yes, there he was "you've been at this a while, I can tell. Just turn back, we both know you don't really want to do this"

Yea, like I had a choice anymore. I could never live with the guilt, not if it didn't pay off…not if I couldn't get what I wanted. I held my knife at the ready. I knew all his moves, I was stronger. I was smarter. I don't care how fast he was, I would hit him. Then I would win. Then I will have the power I need…

"Ok then…let's get straight to it"

And with that, we lunged at each other. Knife slashing, yet always hitting air…but, no matter how fast he was, I knew I had to keep going.

"You can't save everyone if you don't fight for the power to"

My eyes shot open and I bolted upright, causing Frisk to look up at me "Alex!" she practically tackled me back into laying down as she hugged me. Though startling, it gave me a chance to look around, even if she was restricting movement. I was laying on a green lumpy couch, in a small house. There were stairs leading up to a balcony-type thing that had three doors leading from it. There was also another room on this floor that I couldn't see into.

I also noticed there was a blanket on me…I think. It was hard to tell because my body felt numb and Frisk had succeeded in covering my whole body.

"IS THE MALE HUMAN AWAKE?" Papyrus asked. It sounded like he was in the other room.

Frisk got off of me, smiling brightly…the same look I got when Flowey knocked me unconscious, except…there was something else…I couldn't recognize it.

"Yea, he's awake" she called back to him. She turned to me, her voice lowering "why didn't you say something? I would have warmed you up"

Before I can say anything, Papyrus comes out with a bowl "HUMAN! I HAVE MADE A THING CALLED SOUP TO HELP YOU WARM UP!"

I stared at him a moment, then looked at Frisk who nodded. I guess if she was ok, there was no need to be untrusting. "w-what flavor?" oh god, my throat must have frozen.

"UHH…SANS, WHAT DID YOU CALL IT AGAIN?"

"Chicken noodle soup" Sans was on the balcony. I could have sworn he wasn't there a moment ago…

"BUT SANS, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE CHICKEN IN HERE!" oh my god, that was the same thing I said the first time.

"I don't come up with the stuff, I just know it will warm him up" Sans looked at me "good to see you're doing better, kid, I was worried about you"

I just looked at him as Papyrus handed me the bowl and spoon. Frisk helped me sit up so I can eat it. "Yea! Outside is snow place for you to be" Frisk giggled at her own joke, and Sans seemed delighted…Papyrus did not.

"UGH…SANS! DID YOU CORRUPT THE CHILD ALREADY?"

"Hey, it's not my fault she's got a funny bone" I couldn't help the snicker that escaped, but I could tell Papyrus hated it.

"I can't…eat…if I'm laughing…" oh god, I can't remember it ever being that hard to speak. Frisk immediately turned serious, probably hearing the strain in my voice.

"Ok, kid, no more puns until you're better" Sans said. Papyrus shot me a look that said he knew the real reason I asked them to stop, and he was grateful…hey, maybe he really IS harmless!

"Thank…yo-mm!" Frisk had taken the opportunity to shove a spoon full of soup into my mouth.

"No talking until you're better!" Frisk demanded. I reluctantly conceded, letting her feed me the soup since, honestly, getting my body to respond at all was very hard. The soup was wonderful, I never thought I'd like chicken noodle soup so much!

"DO YOU LIKE SPAGHETTI, HUMAN?" oh god, I love spaghetti!

"I love spaghetti!" I replied "but…right now I don't think I could eat anything else"

"THAT'S QUITE ALRIGHT!" he responded "THERE SHALL BE PLEANTY OF TIME LATER! FOR NOW, REST, YOU WILL NEED YOUR STRENGTH! FOR TOMORROW, WE SHALL HAVE AN EPIC DUEL"

Oh no… "…why?" that was all I could get out before I burst into a fit of coughing, causing worried looks from all three of them.

"WE MUST! IT IS OUR DESTINEY!" He struck a pose "HUMAN AGAINST MONSTER! BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER! IT SHALL BE A DUEL OF THE AGES!" oh god…well, me and Frisk were technically siblings, but…he didn't know about Toriel…he couldn't! Before I could respond, however, Sans jumped in.

"I think we should let him rest now" he said "Papyrus, can I talk to you?"

"WHY OF COURSE!" the two left the house. Man, what I'd give to not have any feeling…well, anywhere.

Frisk smiled at me "I tried to talk him out of it…but he insists. To be fair, he said it's the kings law that all humans must be brought to the capital." Ah, that made me feel better…sort of "…now get some rest, ok?" and with that, she walked upstairs and into the middle door. That's when my nightmare returned to me. The hall wasn't a place I recognized…and neither was the voice. That demonic voice…I felt like I knew it, and yet, I didn't…why..?

Maybe I'll get answers if I sleep…yea, sleep is good…there's no cold in the sleep…besides, I needed my energy if I was going to fight Papyrus. Something about the way he said he'd go easy on me…he may look nice, but I could tell he was incredibly tough.

 **I…I don't have an explanation. I guess I just don't have anything better to do than write, so write I do! But…it's usually extremely unusual for me to update this quickly…come to think of it, I haven't updated like this, or been this excited for a story, since…I think since my first story! Wow!**

 **Anyways, I've noticed I've reached…wow, almost 200 views! And I have 3 followers, but not a single review. I know from experience it might be hard to review, especially the further a story progresses, but at this point, I'd really like some encouragement. If you leave a review, then I know what I'm doing right, as opposed to hoping that the people who read my latest chapters aren't disappointed with what their reading…sorry, I just, I don't know…**

 **Uh, anyways! Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 9: Burgers and ketchup

When I opened my eyes, I found the house was empty. The TV was on, some cooking show with a robot as its host, and the fuzzy blanket was still over me. I yawned, stretched, and sat up.

"Hey kid" I yelped in surprise, falling off of the couch, which earned me a laugh from Sans, who was on the second floor.

"Hi Sans" I climbed back up onto the couch. Despite most of my body having thawed by now, I was still stiff, and I'd rather not move around much. Sans walked over to the stairs and slid down the banister, stepping off and walking over to me.

"So, you feeling better yet?" he asked. I nodded "good…your friend has been gone for a bit, my guess is she went to explore. Most of the monsters here are friendly, so they won't attack her"

Well, that was a relief "so…she should be ok?" Sans looked at me a moment

"Yea, she should be fine…I doubt she'll leave without you anyways, she seems to care about ya a lot" I smiled a bit, but before I could say anything, he continued "Papyrus is on patrol, but he said something about waiting for you just outside of town" I stiffened. I had forgotten about the duel I promised him…oh boy "Relax, he's harmless, even if he acts tough. You just gotta remember blue attacks"

"Blue attacks?" I asked. Then I remembered.

"There are some kinds of magic which are meant to trick others. For instance, if an attack is light blue, then you need only stay still, and it will pass harmlessly through you" …I had never seen any in the RUINS, so I wasn't really sure how Toriel knew about them, or why she felt the need to explain.

"...if you don't move, they're harmless…right?" I asked him. His grin seemed to widen.

"Heh, looks like that old lady taught you a lot" Sans responded "my brother uses blue attacks. So long as you know how to deal with them, you'll be perfectly alright"

I smiled at him "yea, she did…I kind of wish she could have taught me more though" I sighed, looking at my feet "if she had, all of this might be easier"

I could feel Sans's gaze on me. It made me feel uneasy… "…how do ya figure that?" I looked up at him and found him staring at me…it felt like he was staring at my soul.

"I…I-if I had magic, I could have been warmer…o-or I could have tricked others into thinking I was a monster…m-maybe?" I didn't really believe the last part, but with the way he was looking at me, I had completely forgotten what I was thinking about before…that's when the nightmare came back. I hadn't given my nightmare a second thought since I had woken up, honestly, I hadn't had time to, but now…

I felt my blood run cold. I quickly looked down, shutting my eyes tight. No, it wasn't real, it couldn't be. Nightmares aren't real. That look isn't familiar…

"…kid..?" I opened my eyes and saw I was shaking…but more importantly, my soul was out. I shut my eyes again, desperately trying to calm myself…it didn't work "…you know, I bet you're hungry. Wanna get a bite to eat at Grillbys?"

I looked up at him, his question had taken me by surprise. His friendly expression was back. "…yea…I could use some food" I forced my soul to return, calming down. I knew I wasn't in a battle, so why was my soul out? …I'd have to figure out later "umm…I could use something warm"

Sans thought a moment, then handed me a hoodie that happened to be nearby "here, this should be plenty warm"

I put it on and smiled. He was right, it was very warm. I hugged the hoodie around me, zipping it up the best I can "Thanks…" I smiled at him, then got up "so, uh…where IS Grillbys? I haven't exactly left the house"

"Don't worry kid, I'll show ya" he took my hand, and then suddenly, we were outside. I took the chance to look around and, now that I wasn't freezing, I was able to admire how beautiful it was. The town was small, kinda cozy. I could see an Inn, a shop, and a "Librarby," which I assumed was just misspelled. In front of us was Grillbys "Well, here we are, let's go inside"

He lead me in. it's funny, everyone seemed to know him…I guess that meant I'd be safe, at least. He led me over to the bar, where the bartender, who was literally living fire, walked over soon after. We both ordered a burger, but mine ended up with way too much ketchup, so Sans gave me his instead. A little bit into the meal, Sans turned to me.

"Hey, kid…do you know about Soul magic?" I froze mid chew. Soul magic? That was the one thing Toriel hadn't taught me about. She had started to, but she had changed topics quickly "…well, Soul magic is something only very powerful monsters can use, and the type of magic used can be seen by the color of the soul. Only human souls are affected by soul magic" he paused, seeming to let that sink in as he took a bite of his burger.

I swallowed my mouthful, then turned to him "...so…every human soul has a different magic?"

"Bingo" he looked at me "I don't wanna spoil anything, but I thought you might wanna know" He got up "oh, do you mind paying for the food?"

"I, uh…"

"Never mind, just put it on my tab" and with that, he walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Why would he tell me this? Was it because of my soul? Toriel had seemed surprised when I showed her it…I shook my head and got up

"Thanks for the meal Grillby!" I smiled at him, and he nodded and went to cleaning the dishes. I walked outside, then I turned and walked to the end of town. I knew I'd have to battle Papyrus…but if I was going to be staying at their house, I needed to know a few things about Sans.

 **Yay! Another chapter done! I don't know what it is about this chapter, but it was entirely too hard to write. It's not like I wasn't interested, I've literally thought through multiple scenarios, I just couldn't write it! But I am very happy with what I have written...ish? It's 11:30 at night, I'm not in the best state of mind, bear with me please. Anyways, I kinda rushed the ending a bit, but that's mostly because this chapter actually took way too long to write and I just wanted it done. Now, onto the interesting topic: Soul magic.**

 **Those who've played Undertale are probably familiar with the explanation, but for those who aren't, I'm going to explain a bit (I want to, leave me alone). Soul magic is a special type of magic that affects the soul, as is implied. Since Monster souls support their entire bodies, the magic is weaker than a spell of the same type meant to be used on the entire body. On a human soul, however, this magic is extremely powerful. Human souls naturally possess soul magic of their own, and it's used defensively in battle. Each magic allows a human to defend themselves in a special way, as you might expect. Apart from that, I won't spoil anything. To answer possible questions: yes, other soul colors have established magic. No, Dark blue/Loyalty does not. Yes, I will be making up a magic for Alex.**

 **Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. If you see any flaws, please point them out to me, I'm tired and not paying attention to details. Bye for now!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 10: Bone tussle

My mind was racing, trying to process everything. Sans knew more than he let on, I knew it, and something about me had either caught his curiosity, made him nervous, or both…but why? And why did it seem it was only me?

My thoughts didn't get much further, as a snowstorm had suddenly started up, blurring my vision. I pulled down the hoodie a bit, shielding my eyes. Maybe I should turn back…

"HUMAN!" or not…I could see his silhouette in the blizzard, but none of his features. It looked rather heroic, actually "ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS. FEELINGS LIKE…THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER PASTA LOVER. THE ADMIRATION FOR ANOTHER'S PUZZLE-SOLVING SKILLS. THE DESIRE TO HAVE A COOL, SMART PERSON THINK YOU ARE COOL. THESE FEELINGS... THEY MUST BE WHAT YOU ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW!"

I couldn't help giggle a bit at that. If he noticed, he didn't show it. "I CAN HARDLY IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO FEEL THAT WAY. AFTER ALL, I AM VERY GREAT. I DON'T EVER WONDER WHAT HAVING LOTS OF FRIENDS IS LIKE. I PITY YOU... LONELY HUMAN...WORRY NOT! YOU SHALL BE LONELY NO LONGER! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE YOUR..." he hesitated.

"…my friend?" I supplied "Papyrus, I don't want to fight you, I'd much rather be your friend"

"REALLY?" the storm seemed to be clearing up a bit, letting me actually see him. "NO... NO, THIS IS ALL WRONG! I CAN'T BE YOUR FRIEND! YOU ARE A HUMAN! I MUST CAPTURE YOU!" I sighed, so much for trying… "THEN, I CAN FULFILL MY LIFELONG DREAM! POWERFUL! POPULAR! PRESTIGIOUS! THAT'S PAPYRUS! THE NEWEST MEMBER... OF THE ROYAL GUARD!"

And with that, my soul was out. Ok, time to think quickly. "Papyrus, do we really need to fight?" I asked

"WE MUST! FOR I MUST CAPTURE YOU!" so much for that. He made some bones, but it was entirely too easy to move away from them.

"Well, I don't think you'll be capturing-" I gasped and dropped to the floor, barely rolling out of the way of another attack. Suddenly I felt very heavy. It lightened up just enough for me to get to my feet.

"THERE! YOU'RE BLUE NOW! THAT'S MY ATTACK!" what? I looked at my soul to find it was a lighter shade of blue than before. Soul magic!

"You…w-what did…?" I shouldn't be panicking. Why was I panicking? Something inside me told me this was familiar, in a very bad way.

"WHILE YOUR SOUL IS BLUE, YOU CAN'T MOVE AS WELL" He seemed proud of himself "IT IS A SKILL MY BROTHER USES AS WELL"

What? I didn't have a lot of time to think, as suddenly the bones were moving a lot faster than I could dodge them. I tried jumping over a few of them, and it sort of worked for a while.

"GIVE UP OR FACE MY…SPECIAL ATTACK!" I froze. Why did that scare me so much? Before I could think about it, I was knocked back by several bones that were way too fast for my liking. I rolled in the snow, coming to a stop just before the edge. I heard a gasp.

"Alex!" I looked up just in time to see Frisk run in front of me "Papyrus, stop, you don't need to capture him!"

Papyrus looked at her "BUT I MUST!" HE SAID "THEN-"

"Then nothing!" she said "Look, you don't need to capture a human to prove how great you are, everyone already knows it! No one can compare to your power, your cleverness, your spaghetti making skills. No one is as Great as the Great Papyrus, and everyone knows it!" he looked at her a moment, seeming unsure "…you also kinda already captured him"

"I DID?" he seemed confused.

"Yea. I mean, he's obviously in no condition to fight" I wanted to protest, but Frisk continued before I could "and he's also staying at your house."

"YOU'RE RIGHT…" he looked at me "HUMAN! I HAVE DECIDED TO SPARE YOU! NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO ACCEPT MY MERCY!"

"Mercy accepted" I said, coughing a bit.

"EXCELENT! I SHALL GO HOME AND MAKE SPEGHETTI TO CELEBRATE CAPTURING YOU!" He started to walk off, then paused "OH! I ALMOST FORGOT!"

He turned to me and Frisk "I HEREBY GRANT YOU PERMISSION TO PASS THROUGH! AND I'LL GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS TO THE SURFACE." Before I could protest, he continued "CONTINUE FORWARD UNTIL YOU REACH THE END OF THE CAVERN. THEN... WHEN YOU REACH THE CAPITAL, CROSS THE BARRIER. THAT'S THE MAGICAL SEAL TRAPPING US ALL UNDERGROUND. ANYTHING CAN ENTER THROUGH IT, BUT NOTHING CAN EXIT... EXCEPT SOMEONE WITH A POWERFUL SOUL... LIKE YOU! THAT'S WHY THE KING WANT TO ACQUIRE A HUMAN. HE WANTS TO OPEN THE BARRIER WITH SOUL POWER. THEN US MONSTERS CAN RETURN TO THE SURFACE! OH, I ALMOST FORGOT TO TELL YOU...TO REACH THE EXIT, YOU WILL HAVE TO PASS...THROUGH THE KING'S CASTLE. THE KING OF ALL MONSTERS...HE IS...WELL...HE'S A BIG FUZZY PUSHOVER! EVERYBODY LOVES THAT GUY. I AM CERTAIN IF YOU JUST SAY..."EXCUSE ME, MR. DREEMURR... CAN I PLEASE GO HOME?" HE'LL GUIDE YOU RIGHT TO THE BARRIER HIMSELF! ANYWAY! THAT'S ENOUGH TALKING! I'LL BE AT HOME MAKING SPEGHETI!" and with that he took off.

Frisk looked at him, giggling a bit, then back at me "you probably have a few questions about that" she said. My soul had returned, so I got up with ease "but first…why didn't you dodge that attack? Even with a blue soul, I know you could have gotten out of the way"

I hesitated "…do you ever have nightmares about things that feel…familiar?" I looked up at her and found her expression hard to make out. I suppose it was a mix of worry, confusion, and…fear? "…I had one a couple days ago, and it has been bugging me ever since"

Frisk looked at me a moment, then looked towards the town. She seemed to be thinking about something "…I think you just need some rest…" she looks back towards me "If it happens again, let me know, ok?" I nodded as she hugged me. Something was different about her, I was becoming more and more sure of it…but whatever it was, it could wait. I had a feeling now wasn't the time to question her.

 **Yay! Another chapter done! I'll be honest, I started this chapter confident, and kinda didn't know where to go with it, so this is the result! If you couldn't tell, I'm kinda terrible at battle scenes, heh…I think Undynes will be better, but no promises! Anyways, if you have any questions about whatever, feel free to ask! I love getting questions about my story, because that means someone's actually interested enough to want to learn more! Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**

 **P.S. no, the title was not a misspelling, it was intentional**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 11: Soul Magic

Screaming. Crying. There were so many voices that even if they were familiar, I wouldn't recognize them. I could feel it resonating through my body. It was so loud…and suddenly, they stopped.

I opened my eyes to darkness. I closed them again, and when I opened them, the darkness had cleared. I was in a grey room…the same grey room I had been in when I met Gaster. I slowly got up, my ears ringing as I try to focus. I notice Gaster is in the middle of the room this time. He was turned away from me, but had some point turned towards me. He stepped closer.

"You appear to be troubled" he said.

I shook my head to clear it "It's nothing…" I mumbled. He looked at me with an expression I can only say was curious, so I cleared my throat "do…do you know about soul magic?"

He looked at me a moment, then nodded "I had almost forgotten your interest in magic" he said. He thought a moment "as my brother said, soul magic is a magic that affects the soul, and is a magic all humans possess, whether they're aware of it or not" at some point, he had gotten close enough for me to get a good look at him. He was a skeleton…something I hadn't noticed before, however he had 2 cracks on his skull…I can't begin to imagine why. Most of his body was hidden under the cloak, however I could see his hands, which had large holes in them.

"Hang on…you said your brother. Sans is your brother?" for some reason, I had imagined Gaster not having family…certainly not living.

He gave me a long look, then nodded "yes, he is my brother…" he paused "…in that subject, you will find many of your answers from other sources. I suggest finding them there, rather than asking. Unless, for some reason, your immediate desire for that knowledge outweighs your desire to use magic"

I blinked a few times. He was right…I really hated how he knew what I was thinking "wait…so, I can use magic? Like, the kind that monsters use?"

"I said no such thing" he responded "…however, I would not rule out the possibility" I tilted my head "allow me to continue. Most monsters do not know soul magic, save for some basic forms to alter their own magical attacks. However, some train especially hard, and can alter a human's soul in a fight…humans, however, possess this magic from birth"

I thought back to Papyrus's battle "…Papyrus can use soul magic"

"That is correct" he responded "in fact, both my brothers can. They are both much stronger than you might think"

I thought a moment "…magic is supposed to benefit the person, or monster, using it, correct?"

"Not necessarily" he said "however, soul magic does both" he hesitated "would you allow me to show you?" I hesitated, but nodded. He placed a hand on my chest, and through the hole, he drew out my soul. It hurt, but thankfully it wasn't too bad. More like an aching feeling. "Interesting…"

I looked down to see my dark blue soul, then looked back up "…what's so interesting?"

He looked at my soul a moment, which made me very uncomfortable, then slowly turned his gaze towards me "forgive me…your soul is an unusual one. Most humans are not as loyal as you are"

"And that has to do with my soul because..?"

"Ah, yes" he seemed to focus "a souls color is determined by a humans dominant trait. For example…" I felt a shiver go up my body as my soul turned red. I suddenly felt an energy I wasn't used to. I felt like I could do anything I set my mind to, and I'd never quit. I felt determined.

"Red is the color of determination. The same color Frisk has" my soul then turned blue. I suddenly felt very heavy, but I didn't fall. I felt a different energy course through me. I felt like honesty would get me where I needed to go, and being fair was how I had to do it. "Blue is the color of integrity" suddenly, I felt lighter than normal, though I stayed in place "this kind of soul magic can manipulate how gravity affects the soul. If a human were to master it, they might even be able to make themselves weightless, at least for a time" my soul returned to normal, as did my feelings, then my soul returned to my chest.

"there are many types of soul magic, each with its own color" he continued, stepping a bit away "however, the two most interesting are Determination…and yours"

"Mine?" I asked "why is mine so interesting? It seems to do the same as Frisks"

"Were that true, that would be the very reason it's interesting" he said "not much is known about a determined soul, though I suspect you'll learn a great deal about them…however, even less is known about a loyal soul, as few people have loyalty as their defining trait"

I thought a moment "so…what can a loyal soul do?"

He smiled "that's the question you have to answer" he responded "even I am not sure what it can do…I would ask to experiment, but I would not know where to begin. Therefore, it's up to you to figure it out…perhaps help would be advised" he paused, seeming hesitant "I have a feeling, however, there is something more to your soul. Despite what abilities I have, changing your soul should have affected you more than it seems to. I advise caution when you experiment. That is all I can say for now, I wish you luck."

"Wait, what do you-" before I could finish, I was awake. I had decided to take a nap when I got home, and I was laying on the couch. I'd estimate it was some time mid-afternoon. The TV was on, again, to the same show. Man, was this all that was on?

I got up, stretched, and put on the hoodie. It was then that I noticed the piece of paper on the ground. I picked it up and read it.

" _Well, I suppose it's helped me so far. It's getting worse, I can feel it. I don't want to talk to Sans, he remembers, I'm sure of it…maybe I just need a walk…maybe I really do need to talk to someone…it's been so strange, having someone else by my side, to hold my hand, to fight for me…something's bothering him though, I think he's picked up on the curiosity…has he noticed? No…I need to talk to someone about this, but not him. I can't-"_

It just cut off. There was a strange scribbling, like the writer had gotten startled.

"Heya kid" I looked up to see Sans in front of me. When had he come in? "Ya know, I'm rather thankful you let Papyrus win. But I gotta ask, why'd you stop like that? He told me you just kinda stopped moving suddenly"

I hesitated a moment, looking at the paper. Sans suddenly seemed interested in it to. I gave it to him, letting him read it. When he looked back at me, I took a deep breath "do you…do you ever have nightmares?" I asked "but…they seem real? Like a past you forgot?"

He looked at me for a long time, then he looked back at the paper "…kid…I think we need to talk"

 **Yay! Another chapter done! Honestly, this chapter went in a different direction than I had originally intended. At some point, I just let my fingers type by themselves, and there you go! Anyways, feedback on what I'm doing right, or doing wrong, would be very helpful, as I wanna keep doing things you guys like, and stop doing anything you don't. Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 12: Chara

Through another one of Sans's shortcuts, and we were standing next to a river. Sans told me it was north of Snowdin, past the wolf monster that sends ice to the CORE, wherever that is…I'll ask about it later.

"so…why here?" I asked "I'd gladly take a warm house to an isolated snowy area"

"I wanted to be away from inturuptions" Sans said, looking out towards the water "Frisk and Papyrus are on a date"

I gasped, causing myself to cough from the cold air, which got a chuckle from Sans "Relax, kid, they're smart enough not to get into trouble"

"that's…not exactly my worry" I slowly caught my breath "You're not the least bit worried about your brother and my best friend, a monster and a human, possibly becoming a couple?"

"nah" he turned towards me "besides, I'm more interested in your nightmare"

I nodded, took a deep breath, then told him about it. Everything, from the hall, the feeling of power, which still unnerved me, and even the girls voice. "I had this dream before I left the Ruins" I said "…I still don't know who the girl is, but I'm almost certain it was you I was fighting, for what reason, I don't know"

He pauses "...do you know what she looked like?"

I blinked, then I thought a moment. Though I hadn't really seen her in my dream…somehow, I could remember her appearance "she had a green striped sweater…red-brown pants and shoes, brown hair, light skin, and rosey cheeks…they kind of look like Frisk, in a way"

He looks at me a moment, then he looks back out to the water for a moment. "…Chara"

"who?"

He turned to me "Chara Dreemurr" he said "the first human to fall. I didn't know her myself, but I had seen her a few times. When she fell, she was found by the prince of monsters, and taken in by the Dreemurr family. She brought hope to the underground, to the royal family…but one day, she fell ill"

"wait…the child that fell all that time ago…I thought she was attacked"

Sans looked at me "…it's not my story to tell" he looked back over the water "…you remember what I said about SOUL magic?"

I nodded "I…actually learned quite a bit about it" I expected him to question me, but he didn't.

"well, as you probably know, human souls possess determination naturally" he continued "it's kind of like how monsters have magic naturally…in high amounts, Determination isn't safe for monsters, but in a more physical being…" he trailed off, leaving me rather worried "…I don't know why you dreamed of her, but I have a feeling Determination has something to do with it"

He was silent for a moment, leaving me to process my thoughts. Was he talking about Frisk? But, if Frisk caused it somehow, why wouldn't I have had the dream earlier?

"do you ever get Déjà vu?" his sudden question startled me.

"uh, sometimes" I answered "it doesn't happen too often, and I usually dismiss it. why?"

"just curious" he turned towards me and paused "…is there something else on your mind?"

I shook my head "no…" I did want to ask about Frisk, but not yet. He looked at me a moment, then nodded

"If you need someone to talk to, let me know, ok?" he said. Then his smile seemed to widen a bit "after all, I'm not one to judge" before I could respond, he walked off. I felt like there was a pun in there somewhere, but I didn't bother thinking about it.

Sans definitely knew more than he told me…it seems like everyone's keeping secrets. I looked at the note, which Sans had given back to me. I couldn't tell who's handwriting it was, which was strange...but somehow, I knew Frisk was involved.

I looked out across the river. Why did Frisk seem different? It had only been a few weeks, yet she's changed drastically, as if it's been years…there was something she wasn't telling me, I was sure of it.

"You seem to be lost" I jumped at the voice, looking around for the source. But…no one was there. I heard snickering "funny, I thought you'd be less jumpy"

That's when I realized it was in my head. "…you'd be surprised too if someone started talking in your head"

I heard chuckling "you'd be surprised" they said "I've been trying to reach you for a while. Can't say I haven't thought of giving up, but that wouldn't make me very determined, would it?" I stayed quiet, not really knowing how to respond "aww, don't tell me you've suddenly gotten shy" the tone of voice they took sent shivers down my spine "I haven't been trying to talk to you for nothing, you know"

"well…what do you want then?" I asked.

"there are many things I want" they continued "entertainment, chocolate, power. But what do I want from you?" the voice paused "hmm…well, there aren't many people to talk to when you're dead"

"wait, you're dead?" I asked "are you a ghost? Why can't I see you?"

This time, they outright laughed. I recognized that laugh all too well "I don't think 'ghost' puts it in the right terms" my blood ran cold as I silently hopped it wasn't who I thought it was "though…that's probably the closest you'll get, if we're honest" if they could read my thoughts, they didn't show it in their voice "conversations go two ways you know, and I'm doing most of the talking"

"well…it's a bit hard to talk to someone you don't know" I replied "and certainly someone you can't see"

A chuckle, then a pause "well, I suppose it would be polite to introduce myself" my fears were confirmed as she materialized. She fit the description I gave her perfectly, except she looked a little paler than I had imagined. She smiled at me.

"Greetings. I am Chara"

 **Yay! Another chapter done! So, this chapter was originally not supposed to have Chara in it at all, but I ran out of dialogue halfway through and figured "hey, why not?" so, what do you guys think? I've also been debating doing a few one-shots, most likely from the views of other characters, of things that might have happened that I just didn't fit into the story. If anyone has a question, or a scenario they'd like to see, let me know! Remember: I love input, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 13: familiar

I was terrified. I wanted to run, run as far away as I could. But…despite my dream, the girl in front of me seemed nice. She was looking at me, a smile on her face. It was amazing how much she resembled Frisk…in fact, I might have mistaken them for the same person were it not for how pale Chara looked.

We stood there, eventually leading to me sitting in the snow as we talked for a while. As it turns out, Chara was a lot nicer than I had thought she'd be. It was easy to see she didn't like humanity, yet a little less obviously, she seemed to like me, as she had said "you know, you're surprisingly decent for a human…and kinda fun to watch." …I took it as a complement, though I wasn't entirely sure I was comfortable with her watching me all the time.

After a bit, the cellphone Toriel had given me rang, catching my attention. When I looked up, Chara had vanished…weird…

I picked up "Hello?"

"GREETINGS, HUMAN!" Papyrus said "IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT? YOU HAVE BEEN GONE FOR QUITE SOME TIME!"

"Yea, I'm ok" I said "uh…how long has it been?"

"HMMM…" he paused "…SANS! HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?"

"A couple hours" a couple hours?

"A COUPLE HOURS!" before I could respond, he continued "ALSO. THE OTHER HUMAN SEEMS TO BE MISING. IS SHE WITH YOU?"

Frisk was missing? "No, but I'll find her as soon as I can!" I REALLLY hope she didn't get in trouble.

"ALRIGHT! I WILL MAKE YOU BOTH SOME OF MY AMAZING SPAGHETTI WHEN YOU GET BACK!" there was a click as he hung up. Great, now to find Frisk…

I took a step forward, then I froze. Frisk is missing. Why did that seem so…familiar?

I shook my head and went to call Frisk, only for my phone to ring. I picked it up "he-"

"GIVE ME BACK MY PHONE YOU STUPID MUTT!"

"Arf arf!"

Oh my god! I burst into laughter as the phone hung up. I knew I shouldn't find it funny that Frisk is chasing a dog, who knows where, to get her phone…wait…my laughing quickly subsided as that same feeling overcame me…why did this seem so familiar? And why did I have the strangest feeling she was in Waterfall..?

I decided to call Sans. Even if he didn't know where Frisk was, he might be able to help me.

He picked up the phone "sup?"

"Sans…do you know where Frisk is?" I asked "or, maybe where she went?"

"Well, I saw the kid run by a moment ago" he said "she sounded out of breath, probably could use some water. Anyways, I gotta go, good luck kid!" he hung up.

"Wait, I-" I sighed. So much for talking about the sudden déjà vu I'm having…I groaned as I started walking in the direction I assumed waterfall was in.

It wasn't long until the cold Snowdin air gave way to a warmer, damper air, and the snow beneath my feet turned to grass. I barely registered it though, as my mind was whirling. I paused as I reached what looked like an empty sentry post. Every step had felt like one I shouldn't take, and the further I went, the worse the feeling was…but I couldn't just leave Frisk on her own…I had to think.

I sat against the sentry post, taking a deep breath as I thought about what to do. There was an orange fish-like monster standing next to a weird blue flower, but they either didn't notice me or decided not to pay any mind, as they just sat there. I shook my head and turned my focus back to Frisk…I could go back and ask Sans or Papyrus for help, but if Frisk is in danger…no, not an option…

Before I can get any further, I heard what sounded like Papyrus's voice…what was he doing in Waterfall? I couldn't make out the words, but I could still hear his voice. I stood up, ignoring the alarm bells in my head and slowly approaching the source of the voice.

I wadded through the water, dodging the ice that was falling down…why was ice falling over the only seeable path through here anyways…and stopped as I could finally make out the words.

"B-BUT UNDYNE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DESTROY THEM!" I heard Papyrus say "YOU SEE…YOU SEE…" he was quiet. I had to assume someone else was talking, but I couldn't hear their voice at all…I tried to move closer, hoping I might get a better look at who he was talking to…I saw them. They were turned away from me, the only reason they didn't see me, but I could see them. It looked like a knight of some sort, though they were strangely unarmed…

"I UNDERSTAND, I'LL HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN" Papyrus hurried off out of sight, but the figure, Undyne, was still there. There was grass in front of me that I could hide in…but if they saw me…

I shivered at the thought. I must have been just out of sight, or they would have seen me. Maybe they'd go away if I waited long enough…why did I have a feeling I've tried that..? I slowly started to back away, and then my phone rang…uh oh.

Undyne immediately turned to me, a spear appearing in their hand, ready to throw at me. Time seemed to move in slow motion as my legs refused to move. This is it, this is where I die. Undyne pulled the spear holding arm back…and right before she threw it, there was a clang as a rock hit their suit. The spear barely missed me, and I could feel the sting as it grazed my arm. Undyne turned away, readying another magical spear at whoever threw the rock, and I bolted back the way I came…except I forgot about the water. I tripped, fell into the water, and then a piece of ice hit me, pushing me off the edge. My last thought was the fact that, if nothing else, that part didn't seem familiar at all.

 **Wow…It's been a while, hasn't it? I actually took several tries on this chapter…and quite a bit of re-writing as I realized it wasn't as good as I'd like it. This chapter was supposed to hint at the resets a bit, though I think I may have hinted at them a bit too much…what do you guys think? I also tried to expand a bit on Chara, give a bit of a first impression of how she'll be. She'll likely appear later in the story, who knows. I had originally intended to end the chapter a bit differently, in fact, the whole going into Waterfall thing was a spontaneous idea, but I had to move along the story somehow.**

 **Anyways, hope I didn't keep you guys waiting too long! Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Hopefully the next chapter will come sooner, but until then, bye for now!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any characters associated with it.**

Chapter 14: Flash

There were flashes of images. Some I recognized, like the door at the end of the Ruins, the Inn at Snowdin, Mount Ebott…but others I couldn't recognize, like a lab in a place with red ground, or a lake with a bird, or a golden hall…wait, I recognized that place, It was the one from my dream!

But…it was empty, except for…the image was gone before I could make out the figure. Finally, one image didn't go away. At first, it was fuzzy, but it slowly got clearer, revealing a room with…Frisk?

I recognized this room…it was Frisks room, from when we were on the surface, and staring straight at me was Frisk. She was a sitting a bit further back, on her bed, brushing her hair...though, her image was a bit distorted, like I was looking at a reflection.

She sighed, putting the brush next to her "it's all my fault, isn't it..?" she sighed again, taking out a picture I couldn't see from her pocket "no matter what I do, I can't make it right…someone's always unhappy…" she got up, walking over to somewhere out of sight. When she came back, she had a backpack "well, no one gets second chances by doing nothing…maybe I should climb the mountain…who knows, maybe I'll find something there" she walked out of her room, closing the door.

The image faded, and the same images flashed in front of me…only this time, they were different. A hand was on the door in the ruins, ready to push it open; there were snowy footprints on the floor of the inn, as if someone had recently walked in, I could see the shoes of someone disappearing into the cave on mount Ebott…and the places I still couldn't recognize…there was always someone there, walking, just a bit too blurry to make them out.

And then, Frisks room again. It was brighter this time, likely earlier in the day. But…she wasn't happy. She had her head in her hands, and seemed to barely be holding herself together.

"…why?" she asked "why must this happen? Again and again and again!" she threw the brush that was next to her, it crashed somewhere behind me "Nothing ever works!" she fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. She was quiet a moment, before she sat up, looking at me "Don't give me that look! I never wanted all of that to happen! I was just so frustrated!" she turned around and screamed into a pillow. I had never seen her like that…what on earth happened to her?

It took her a few moments to calm down, and then she slowly sat up, glaring at me "...why are you even still here? I told you I was done! If I don't go back, then…then…" her glare faded "…no…I…how can I save everyone though? No matter what, someone ends up staying…" she looked down, then at a clock "…he's usually up there reading by now…maybe he can help, if I'm lucky" she got up, grabbed her backpack, then went out the door, slamming it shut.

The world went black for a moment. What was she talking about? Was that like my dream where I saw Chara? But…she seemed so upset…

After a moment, the room slowly turned brighter. This time, I could see clearly…but my body wouldn't respond. I was stuck, staring at the wall of a room...wait a second, it was the room from the ruins, the one Toriel had given us! From behind me, a door opened, and there were footsteps. I turned towards the steps without meaning to. It was Frisk, walking along as if she didn't see me. She walked right past me, over to the dresser.

"…I know you're there" she said. I stepped forward a bit, and she sighed, walking over to the couch and sitting down. She was back to the Frisk I knew, though she seemed stressed about something… "I don't like this…I know he's happy here, but…we can't just stay here and give up on all the monsters out there, can we..?"

She looked up at me. It was at this point that I chose to speak…though, it didn't sound like my voice.

"He doesn't know, Frisk. All he knows is that you're safe, and that's all he wants" I replied "you have to show him what it means to you, show him you can protect yourself, show him how strong you are"

"…like the way I showed Toriel?" at first, I felt my blood go cold. Then, I felt it heat up.

"If you even THINK about doing that again…" I could feel anger boil inside me

"Are you nuts? I already told you, I didn't want that to happen!" she snapped back. Almost immediately, I felt the anger edge away as we both took deep breaths "…no, if I can help it, no one's dying…"

"But…you know someone has to, right? After all, you can't-"

"I said no one's going to die!" she snapped, throwing a pillow at me. I internally braced for impact, since I couldn't really move to block it…only for it to move right through me, doing nothing. She glared at me a moment, before speaking again "I…I just want to save everyone…monsters, humans…no one deserves to die…"

"I don't know, I can think of plenty who do…" that earned me another glare, and I sighed "look, he's not going anywhere, and you know exactly what to do anyways. If you're lucky, maybe he'll follow you, and you'll have gotten him out into the rest of the Underground"

"Yea…but…what if it's not the same? What if…what if he remembers?"

"Please, he's not THAT powerful. And even if he did remember, what's he going to do about it? Kill a seemingly innocent human in front of his brother?"

"…you're right…I'm going to go out and make him follow me, one way or another" she gets up and walks out, but pauses in the door way "don't worry, Chara, I'll fix everything…and I'll save everyone"

 **Woo! Another chapter done! Honestly…I'm not really sure where I was going with this. I had ran into a bit of writers block, and recently got re-inspired to keep writing…so, here you all go! I, uh, kinda got a little carried away, so…I'm not really sure what happened, I just kept writing and let my fingers do all the work.**

 **Anyways. Remember: I love criticism, reviews encourage me, and I'm open to input. Bye for now!**


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